VAC Artist Interview: Isabelle Alford-Lago

Check out our Venice Beach based artist interview of the week: Isabelle Alford-Lago!

1. Who are you and what do you do?

I paint large murals, which I started out putting up all over Venice and now have begun creating them in cities. For the past few years my subject matter has been big humanized gorillas that lounge around. They have a strong personality that people can recognize when they see them around. I also have a few t-shirt lines and print editions.

2. In your words how would you define art?

It’s a way of communicating abstract thought, and gets you to let go of everything you think you KNOW about something.

3. At what age did you realize that you were creatively talented?

Very young and my parents supported my talents too by putting me in more art classes when I was a kid.

4. What’s your background?

I grew up in Santa Cruz, a small beach town in Northern California. I have family from Louisiana and New Jersey. I came to LA to get my BA at University of Southern California and have lived in Venice since.

5. What materials/paints do you generally work with?

I work with acrylics and spray paint for my mural work and oils for my canvas paintings

6. What art do you most identify with?

I’m drawn to art that expresses personality and a good sense of humor. I admire artists who can reach a broad audience.

7. What is an artistic outlook on life?

To look at the world with the curiosity of a child seeing something for the first time. And then make things.

8. What superpower would you have and why?

The power to teleport, only because I really want to have access to the whole world.

9. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

London

10. WHAT is your ‘method’?

For my murals I first make a drawing. I free hand scale it up onto the wall, start blocking in the shadows mid tones and highlights, then add layers of color. To finish I use a bristle brush to stroke out the hair of the gorillas

11. What is your preferred subject and why?

My gorillas are inspired by humans, and the primitive qualities I see in everyday people. We all share the same basic nature that we cover up with a filter. I see a lot humor in it

12. What’s the best thing about being an artist?

doing what you love and the ability to create something out of nothing.

13. What’s the worst thing about being an artist?

Staying true to yourself

14. What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

The key in my opinion is to be constantly creating and showing. It doesn’t just come, you gotta make it happen!

Gabrielle Wooden is a writer currently residing in Southern California. Currently she is a blogger for the Venice Art Crawl and is working on her first novel entitled Blue Barcelona at UCLA’S Extension Writers Program.